Artificial snow



Feb. 13, 1962 J. w. LINCOLN Erm. 3,020,811

ARTIFICIAL SNOW Filed Feb. 21, 1958 Wuxy MuIrx Gloss Spheres Gloss Spheres V sig. 1

r o e s Y.. u o C e s a B Ski Slope Ouh INVENTORS JOHN W. LINCOLN WILLIAM J. J. GORDON Unite ttes arent Office This invention relates to an artificial snow'and methods of preparation thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to an article of manufacture and compositions for y use on natural and artiticial slopes as a snow substitute to provide a surface for skiing, tobogganing and other winter sports.

Winter sports, and in particular skiing, have become increasingly popular and many resorts built at large capital cost are operated in various locations which are suitable in climate. In spite of location, however, the skiing or winter sports season is relatively short compared to other sports because of its dependence on a natural phenomenon--snow. Moreover, when snow is inadequate or not suitable for skiing, the resorts, which expend large surns on maintenance of the slides and lifts necessary to an attractive and popular place, are forced into inactivity and face financial loss.

It would be desirable, therefore to provide a means by which winter sports, and in particular skiing, could be actively conducted in all seasons of the year, regardless of location. This would benefit the resorts, and the devotes of the sport, providing the latter with a longer period for acquiring skill and experinece and avoiding the normally long periods of inactivity which necessitate reconditioning of the muscles each season.

Various suggestions have been made in the past for providing artificial skiing surfaces, but have not found practical application because of the difficulty of simulating the properties of a natural snow surface, lack of resistance to wear, or cost.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to produce an artificial snow having the properties of natural snow in regard to frictional characteristics and consistency such that it provides a surface admirably suited for skiing and other winter sports.

Another object is to produce an artificial snow having a hard wearing undersurface or substratum and a softer surface or top stratum, which like natural snow, exhibits the ability to shear off in part and then re-cement or repack.

A further object is to produce an artificial snow which is readily applied to any artificial or natural slope or base to provide a skiing surface useable in any location and at any time of year, and which is resistant to weathering and wear.

Still another object is to provide an artiiicial snow for skiing and other winter sports which may be readily and rapidly repaired in worn or denuded areas so that prolonged interruption of use is avoided.

Another object is to provide as an artificial snow, an article of manufacture which may be easily mass-produced in a preformed shape or laminate at a point remote from the installation site and readily transported thereto, and an auxiliary composition which may be used as a topping, patching, filling or leveling material for the laminate.

The objects of the invention also contemplate methods of preparation of the artificial snow, preparation of a patching, filling or leveling material therefor, and methods of installation.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof.

The artificial snow of the present invention generally comprises a laminated article having a suitable backing material to which is adhered a layer of a mixture containing a predominant amount of hard rigid particles having rounded surfaces in a binding matrix of waxy material, including a pressure sensitive ingredient. This laminate may be produced in the form of mats, strips or tiles of any suitable size or shape for ease of installation on any natural or artificial ski slope, which may be prepared in the usual manner. For example, the trail or slope may be bulldozed or even surfaced where the ground is of such character that a firm foundation for packing and retention of artificial or natural snow is not otherwise assured.

The hard or rigid particles of the snow laminate are preferably glass spheres or beads, although any suitably hard substances resistant to deformation and providing relatively low frictional coefficients ymay be used, such as plastics, metals e.g. aluminum, dehydrated silica gels, hards rubber, and the like, or mixtures of the same. Although the particles are preferably spherical, it is only necessary that the surfaces be rounded to permit rolling motion in or on the surface of the binder matrix with and without actual displacement of the particles from the body o-f the matrix. The particles may be of various sizes within a wide range and are preferably of several different sizes, e.g. they may Vary from l0 `microns to 1000 microns in diameter with various distributions of sizes. Since this artificial material shall closely resemble the natural snow as much as possible, these small particles (ie. spheres) which form the major ingredient of the composition should be of several different sizes. This provides a better packing characteristic and increases the density of the laminate.

Mixed with the solid particles is a minor quantity of a hard wax binder, forexample, scale wax which provides a hard body or matrix in which the spheres or beads are adhered. The -mixture should be such that the scale wax is used in an amount to provide sufiicient binding matrix to make contacting surfaces of the beads adhere to it without so embedding the beads that they cannot roll in or on the surface of the mixture. It is important that at certain pressures and velocities the skis are in contact with temporarily loose and rolling balls which thereafter again become adhered to the binder wax. With this material, as with snow, the coefficient of friction varies with the velocity of the object moving on the sur-face. Starting friction is high in certain kinds of packed snow and such condition is advantageously reproduced with this artificial snow material.

In addition to scale wax, a smaller quantity of a pressure sensitive wax, preferably microcrystalline wax, is employed to effect a certain sticky quality at very low speed whereas the beads or spheres are loosened at higher speeds from adherence at their contacting surfaces and are free to roll in or on the surface. This wax has the quality of re-adhesion since it is pressure sensitive. Due to such re-adhesion property of the material, the loosened beads are readhered to the waxy matrix, an skier will not carry any considerable amount of the hard aggregate particles of the artificial snow `after him down to the base of the slope.

As above-described, the main constituents of the preferred wax binder are scale wax and a smaller quantity of pressure sensitive material, such as microcrystalline wax. However, other waxes or wax-like substances, for example, polyethylene may be added to increase the toughness, wear resistance, hardness, or to elevate the softening point, of the binder of the artificial snow laminate. Polyethylene wax added in amounts of less than 1% and as little as 0.2% elevates the softening point of the wax binder as high as ten degrees Fahrenheit -and thus enhances the property of the artificial snow to resist adverse softening even at high summer temperatures.

The backing material for the laminate may be any suitable exible material to which the artificial snow composition may be adhered, for example, any fibrous, woven, or felted material such as cloth, paper, canvas, burlap, 'softboard or the like, which may be impregnated or in- -durated to be weather and rot resistance. The artificial fsnow mixture of beads and wax is applied hot to the backing material in forming the tiles or mats, and it has been found that good adhesion may be secured, particularly Iif the backing material is primed by dipping in a hot wax .melt or solution.

The above-described artificial snow laminate may be readily preformed at a convenient mass production site and transported to the ski slope for installation. The laminate provides a dense tile, mat or blanket having a hard surface which is resistant t wear and also to displacement of its active surface so that it is admirably suited for use in areas on a ski slope subjected to extreme wear, and may also be used over the 'entire slope.

It has been found, however, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, ,that an artificial snow product of optimum properties should be a combination having both a hard and soft characteristic. It is contemplated by the invention, therefore that the basic laminate above-described serve as a hard durable lower stratum or layer upon the relatively ice-like surface of which an upper laminate or -top layer or coat is superimposed. This upper laminate or top coat comprises the same essential ingredients as the hard dense substratum, that is, a bead-wax mixture, but is made softer and less dense with the iactive surface more easily subject to displacement. This enhances its suitability as a snow substitute, because like natural snow, when subjected to stresses as in lskiing maneuvers, part of the active surface shears off and then re-cements and repacks. 'In addition, the artificial snow composition which serves as a top coat or layer over the preformed laminate may advantageously be employed as a filling material to cover gaps between adjacent tiles or mats, or as a leveling coat over minor depressions or out croppings which are not adequately covered by the mats or tiles, or as a patching material for worn areas which do not necessitate a replacement of the tiles or mats. In this connection, it is advantageous to provide the backing material of the laminated tiles with a contrasting color, the artificial snow preferably being white, so as to indicate in areas of wear or excessive displacement of the snow, that patching material or new tiles are needed.

A complete specific embodiment is described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings by way of illustration of the invention without limitation thereto in which,

FIGURE 1 is a schematic elevational view of the basic tile laminate with the top coat or layer of artificial snow applied,

FIGURE 2 is a schematic plan view of the basic tile laminate without the top coat applied, and

FIGURE 3 is a schematic representation of one manner of installation and assembly of the artificial snow laminate and use of the top coat as a filler material.

The basic artificial snow laminate comprises a burlap backing material 11 which may be dipped in a hot wax solution to aid in adhesion of the snow. An intimate mixture of glass spheres of a wide size range consist, for example, from 10 to 1000 microns and a binding wax are heated to an appropriate working temperature for plasticity, e.g. 300 F., and applied manually by troweling or by machine in any suitable thickness (e.g. 1A to -a inch) to provide upon cooling a dense hard substratum 12 of artificial snow which is resistant to wear and displacement of its active surface. The backing and substratum together constitute the basic laminated snow 10.

The glass bead and wax proportions for this undercoat 12 for the tile laminate 10 may be varied provided that the beads greatly predominate in amount by weight, and weight ratios of'fom about l"t`o l2 parts binder 't0 20 parts of beads (about 90-95% beads) have been found advantageous. The wax for the binding matrix may vary in proportions of scale wax and the pressure sensitive wax, e.g. microcrystalline wax with 75-85% scale Wax to 25-l5% microcrystalline wax being found advantageous with or without small additions of polyethylene wax.

The laminated tiles may be of any size convenient for transport and installation. In one instance they were made two feet square, but larger sizes are recommended for reducing installation labor. They may be of any shape, but since they are installed by abutting their vertical edges, simple configurations such as squares or rectangles are desirable.

rl`he backing material is left uncoated to form selvedge or border 13 of any suitable width to provide an overlap for securing the tiles to the slope by suitable fastening means, such as staples 14, and further to provide a shingle structure, as shown in FIGURE 3, so that no backing material edges exposed by wear or displacement of the snow under abnormal conditions could present an edge to cause the skier to trip. The tilcs are installed from the bottom of the slope upwardly to provide this safer shingle effect. The selvedge may be formed on all sides of the tile as shown, but is necessary only at the top for installation as above-explained. It is advantageous to provide the same on the sides as well as the top, at least on the outer courses of the installed tiles, since the contrasting dark color of the backing and the white of the snow aids the skier in staying on the course.

To assist in conforming the tiles to the irregularities or unevenness of the slope, during preparation they may be scored or cross-scored for flexibility. This is preferably done after the hot bead-wax mixture is applied to the backing and before it has cooled.

Preferably, after installation of the mats or tiles on the slopes, a top coat or upper less dense layer or lamina 15 of a similar snow composition, that is, a glass bead-wax mixture, is applied to the substratum 12 of the basic laminate or mat 10` to provide a less dense, less rigid active surface which ideally reproduces the qualities of natural snow suitable for skiing, since it possesses the quality of shearing off parts of its surface under stresses and then re-cernenting or repacking. In addition to this reformability, it exhibits toughness and a low frictional coefficient. This topping layer or coat is applied hot with a heated applicator, or by air entrainment, or with a spreader device, or in other suitable manner apparent to those skilled in the art. The tile or slope surface may also be heated to facilitate smoothing and leveling.

The proportion of glass spheres to wax binder in the topping and filling snow composition is preferably higher than in the mats, for example, from over to as high as 98% by weight. The proportion may vary as the binder merely adheres the non-adhesive rigid particles and does not present rolling motion in place or some displacement under high stresses. The material is used in a similar manner after mat installation to fill gaps, and to patch worn areas, and otherwise as needed for leveling various areas.

A typical example of a glass bead-wax mixture used for the artificial snow of the laminated mats is given by way of illustration:

Parts by weight For the topping coat, a typical snow composition is the one given above modified to reduce the wax content to about one half of that indicated. The thickness may vary as desired. In one instance toppings of ls to 1 inch were used.

It is advantageous to prepare the topping coat at the production site of the laminate and ship it in bulk, although it has been prepared at the installation site by preheating the glass beads (e.g. at 300 F.), and mixing and dispersing the same in the melted wax binder, or even in a wax solution, preferably having a volatile solvent with a relatively high fiash point. One method devised for preparation of the artificial snow filling material at the plant site is to prepare as above-indicated and cast slabs which are then granulated to a bulk material. The glass beads being of small sizes are not materially affected by the granulating step` The wax binder, during the granulating step, is broken up into aggregate particles which contain glass beads within each aggregate particle. The artificial snow material in bulk form is very advantageous for shipping or storagepurposes. If the artificial snow material is kept in slab form for any period of time prior to actual use, there is a possibility that the glass beads will settle or become segregated from the binder material, In bulk form, each individual aggregate of the bulk material comprises the glass beads in intimate admixture with the binder. Since the aggregates are relatively loosely packed they tend to remain as aggregates and there is a lesser tendency of their fusing together into large masses with the subsequent possibility that the glass beads will settle or become segregated from the binder.

The relative proportions of bead particles and binder may be varied, as well as the size distribution of the particles. The wax binder as the minor constituent of the artificial snow may be made up of varying proportions of scale wax and microcrystalline wax with or without the polyethylene wax while providing the properties in the composition required for its intended purpose.

Natural and synthetic resins and elastomers may be substituted for the waxes specified so long as they have the characteristics above mentioned. Their effect is largely physical rather than chemical.

The artificial snow of the present invention has been employed for skiing and provides a skiing surface closely simulating natural snow in its performance, and which is resistant to hard maneuvers and weather.

Various modifications may be made to the compositions and methods herein described without departing from the spirit of the invention, which is herein disclosed and hereafter claimed.

This application constitutes a cOntinuation-in-part of our application Serial No. 698,427, filed November 25, 1957 and entitled Artificial Snow Composition.

What is claimed is:

l. An artificial snow suitable for skiing and tobogganing purposes comprising a predominant amount of glass beads of varying sizes having a particle size distribution within the range of about to 1000 microns in diameter in admixture with a small amount of a binder composition which comprises a major portion of scale wax and a minor portion of microcrystalline wax, said binder composition having the property at ambient temperatures of increasing in fluidity upon application of pressure thereby enabling said particles to have free rolling motion in or on the surface of said binder and of decreasing in fluidity upon removal of said applied pressure whereby said particles are readhered in said binder composition.

2. The artificial snow as claimed in claim 1 wherein said binder composition also includes a small amount of polyethylene wax.

`3. An artificial snow suitable for skiing and tobogganing purposes comprising about 95% to 98% by weight of glass beads of varying sizes in admixture with about 2% to 5% of a binder composition which comprises 75% to 85% scale wax and 15% to 25% microcrystalline wax, said binder composition having the property at ambient temperatures of increasing in fluidity upon application of pressure thereby enabling said particles to have free rolling motion in or on the surface of said binder and of decreasing in fluidity upon removal of said applied pressure whereby said particles are readhered in said binder composition.

4. The artificial snow as claimed in claim 3 wherein said glass beads have a particle size distribution within the range of about l0 to 1000 microns in diameter.

5. A laminated tile material suitable as a surface for skiing and tobogganing comprising a backing material and adhered thereto an artificial snow layer comprising about to 95% by weight of hard substantially spherical particles of varying sizes in admixture with about 5% to 10% of a binder composition which comprises a major portion of scale wax and a minor portion of microcrystalline wax, said binder composition having the property at ambient temperatures of increasing in fluidity upon application of pressure thereby enabling said particles to have free rolling motion in or on the surface of said binder and of decreasing in fluidity upon removal of said applied pressure whereby said particles are readhered in said binder composition.

6. The laminated tile material of claim 5 wherein said substantially spherical particles are glass spheres and said backing material is a fibrous sheet which has at least one uncoated border.

7. The laminated material of claim 5 wherein said backing material is a Woven material which has at least one uncoated border.

8. A laminated tile material suitable as a surface for skiing and tobogganing comprising a backing material which contains at least one free edge for securing said laminated tile material to a base, a relatively dense, artificial snow substratum layer resistant to displacement and adhered to said backing material comprising about 90 to by weight of glass beads of varying sizes in admixture with about 5% to 10% of a binder composition which comprises 75 to 85 of scale wax and 15% to 25% of microcrystalline wax, a second relatively less dense artificial snow layer applied to said substratum layer comprising about 95 to 98% by weight of glass beads of varying sizes in admixture with about 2% to about 5% of a binder composition comprising 75 to 85 of scale wax and 15% to 25% of microcrystalline wax, said binder compositions of said substratum and said artificial snow layer having the property at ambient temperatures of increasing in fluidity upon application of pressure thereby enabling said particles to have free rolling motion in or on the surface of said binder and of decreasing in fluidity upon removal of said applied pressure whereby said particles are readhered in said binder composition.

9. An artificial snow suitable for skiing and tobogganing purposes comprising about 95 to 98% by weight of spherical particles of varying sizes having a particle size distribution within the range of about l0 to 1000 microns in diameter in admixture with about 2% to 5% of a binder composition which comprises a major portion of a hard wax and a minor portion of microcrystalline wax, said binder composition having the property at ambient temperatures of increasing in fluidity upon application of pressure thereby enabling said particles to have free rolling motion in or on the surface of said binder and of decreasing in fluidity upon removal of said applied pressure whereby said particles are readhered in said binder composition.

10. The artificial snow of claim 9 wherein said hard wax is scale wax.

11. The articial snow as claimed in claim 9 wherein said binder composition also includes a small amount of polyethylene wax.

l2. A method of preparing a granulated, free flowing, artificial snow material in bulk form which comprises preheating glass beads to about 300 F., melting a Wax binder, forming a uniform dispersion comprising a predomi- 7 nant portion of glass beads and a minor portion of wax by mixing said preheated beads and said melted wax, cooling the mixture to a solid mass, and granulating said solid mass to form an aggregate of said mass in bulk form.

13. A laminated article suitable as a surface for skiing and tobogganing comprising a backing material and adhered thereto an artificial snow layer comprising about 90 to 95% by Weight of hard substantially spherical particles of varying sizes in admixture with about 5% to 10% of a binder composition which comprises a major portion of a hard wax and a minor portion of microcrystalline wax, said binder composition having the property at ambient temperatures of increasing in uidity upon application of pressure thereby enabling said particles to have free rolling motion in or on the surface of said binder and of decreasing in fluidity upon removal of said applied pressure whereby said particles are readhered in said binder composition.

14. A laminated tile material suitable as a surface for skiing and tobogganing comprising a backing material which contains at least one free edge for securing said laminated tile material to a base, a relatively dense, articial snow substratum layer resistant to displacement and adhered to said backing material comprising about 90 to 95% by weight of hard, substantially spherical particles of varying sizes in admixture with about 5% to 10% of a binder composition which comprises 75% to 85% of hard wax and 15% to 25% of microcrystalline wax, a second relatively less dense articial snow layer applied to said substratum layer comprising about 95 to 98% by Weight of hard, substantially spherical particles of varying sizes in admixture with about 2% to about 5% of a binder composition comprising 75 to 85% of a hard wax and 15 to 25% of microcrystalline wax, said binder composition of said substratum and said artificial snow layer having the property of ambient temperatures of increasing in fluidity upon application of pressure thereby enabling said particles to have free rolling motion in or on the surface of said binder and of decreasing in fluidity upon removal of said applied pressure whereby said particles are readhered in said binder composition.

15. A ski and toboggan slope comprising a prepared base and secured thereto an assembly of tiles as claimed in claim 14, said tiles being edge butted, and said backing materials having at least one uncoated edge inserted under an adjacent tile for securing said tiles to said base.

References Cited in the le of this patent 'UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,057,906 Murmann Oct. 20, 1936 2,174,716 Bethell Oct. 3, 1939 2,179,664 MacBride Nov. 14, 1939 2,224,405 McIntyre Dec. 10, 1940 2,254,482 Heuer Sept. 2, 1941 2,330,843 Rodli et al. Oct. 5, 1943 2,526,655 Sparks et al. Oct. 24, 1950 2,555,078 Gaylor May 29, 1951 2,558,759 Johnson July 3, 1951 2,668,126 Taylor et al. Feb. 2, 1954 2,742,288 Brunel Apr. 17, 1956 2,811,906 Chappell Nov. 5, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 304,948 Great Britain Jan. 31, 1929 

1. AN ARTIFICIAL SNOW SUITABLE FOR SKIING AND TOBOGGANING PURPOSES COMPRISING A PREDOMINANT AMOUNT OF GLASS BEADS OF VARYING SIZES HAVING A PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION WITHING THE RANGE OF ABOUT 10 TO 1000 MICRONS IN DIAMETER IN ADMIXTURE WITH A SMALL AMOUNT OF A BINDER COMPOSITION WHICH COMPRISES A MAJOR PORTION OF SCALE WAX AND MINOR 